Grant Robertson
Health spokesperson

9 February 2011
Media Statement

Government inaction on after-hours health care costs families

Increasing costs for parents taking their children to see a doctor after-hours are putting a further strain on families, Labour Health spokesperson Grant Robertson says.

“No family should have to choose between taking their child to the doctor and putting food on the table,” Grant Robertson said.

“The Minister and I were contacted last week by Linley Williams of Kapiti who was presented with a $41 bill for taking her 20 month old daughter to the doctor at 5.30 at night after she cut her lip.

“For this family the $41 represented 20 percent of the weekly food-budget. It would be a far higher percentage for other families, many of whom would be forced to not seek treatment or travel to an emergency department, further clogging up those services.

“Getting appropriate health care, especially for children no matter what time of day in New Zealand, should not be based on a financial decision. Making sure young children get the primary care they need should be a priority for New Zealand - well ahead of tax cuts for higher income earners.

“Families are struggling with rising food, power, petrol and school costs. After-hours health care services for children should not be something that families struggle to afford.

“Around the country we have seen hospitals state they want to reduce the number of cases seen at Emergency Departments. If they don’t want to see cases that could be treated by doctors, but if the cost of seeing that doctor is too high, what options do parents have left open to them?

“Yesterday John Key told New Zealand that the National Government was committed to both health care and children.

“If he and Tony Ryall are truly committed to children’s health they will address this issue quickly rather than continuing to just pay lip service to child health and seeing the cost of living rise further,” Grant Robertson said

ENDS

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